Steam-radiator.



F. J. DOUGLASS.

STEAM RADIATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY II, I918.

Patented Mar. 25, 1919.

2 MEETS-SHEET I.

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STEAM RADIATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1|. ms.

Patented Mar. 25, 191$).

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- FRANK J. DOUGLASS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STEAM-RADIATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 25, 1919.

Application filed May 11, 1918. Serial No. 233,907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J. DOUGLASS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Radiators, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a radiator, and the principal object of theinvention is to provide simple and effective means, which will bepositive and certain in its operation, whereby the amount of radiatingsurface under the influence of the steam may be varied so as to vary thequantity of heat clelivered to the apartment in accordance with therequirement or taste of the occupant.

A further object of the invention is to provide certain novelarrangements and devices in connection with a radiator, which mayotherwise be of ordinary construction, to adapt the radiator for use ina heating system havingthe aforementioned capacity for regulation.

The invention consists of the new and im-v proved constructions,arrangements and devices to be hereinafter described and claimed forcarrying out the above stated objects, and such other incidental objectsas will appear from the following description of a preferred embodimentof the invention.

This embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view, illustrating the heatingsystem as a whole;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the preferred form of radiator employed inthe system;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing the construction of one ofthe intermediate radiator sections;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional plan of this intermediatesection, withthe adjacent sections;

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of a preferred form of adjustable airvalve associated with the end radiator section remote from the steaminlet pipe; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical broken sectional view of the air valve.

14 319 QhM'WtQI's f reference desig te like parts in the several figuresof the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates a radiator which may be ofordinary construe t1on, except for certain features which will behereinafter referred to. B is a steam generator, O the steam supply pipehaving branch pipe C leading to the radiator, and D the return pipewhich conducts water of condensation back to the generator.

The radiator sections, it will be understood, are connected together inthe usual manner, and the steam enters the radiator through the endsection 10, the pipe G being provided preferably with a shut-off valve11. One of the intermediate radiator sections 12 has associatedtherewith an automatic air valve E which is preferably of thethermostatic type, and may be of any ordinary construction. In orderthat this valve may not project out from the radiator so as to be indanger of being knocked off or bent, or otherwise injured, this sectionof the radiator is preferably formed with a recess 13 in which the airvalve is located; and for convenience the section is formed with arecess on each side, in case the air valve is located on the side of-thesection, so that the radiator when assembled may be placed either wayagainst the wall of the room with a recess on the side away from thewall for the air valve. There is an incidental advantage in having theair valve located in a recess in the radiator section. In case ofsputtering or leakage the water is likely to be vaporized by contactwith the heated metal of the radiator. With the proper operation of thevalve no such sputtering should take place. Preferably these re cessesare covered by shield plates 14 which prevent dust from collecting inthe recesses.

Associated with the radiator section 16, remote from the steam inletpipe C, is an automatic air valve F, so constructed that it may bemanipulated to prevent the outflow of air from the radiator. I prefer toemploy in this connection an air valve constructed substantially asshown in Figs. 5 and 6. The casing17 of the device is formed with aneck18 externally and internally threaded, in which is arranged a valve seatplug 19 havinga vertical port 20, a horizontal port21 communicatingtherewith, and a seat 22 for the thermostatic valve member 23. Screwedupon the exterior threading of the neck 18 isa cap 2tf having a port 25adapted to aline with port Withthe... parts in thepositionshown-in'F1g.-- 6,

from the radiator may escape to the atmos- .10 phere through ports 20,21, 25. Inthisp'osT- tion ofthe parts the device operates as an ordinarythermostatic air valve. By turning the cap to the position shown in Fig.5, port 25 is out of alinement with port 2land theaims-consequentlytrapped in the radia- "tor. In erderto" assurethe proper alinement ofports, -and 21, a suitable stop arrangernent is'provided. 'For example,the ea" may be formed with alug 26 which is '20 a apted to stop'againsta in 27 en the casing 17 of the valve. A ga ket 28 may beinterposed between the top of the neck 18 a d the cap. 24L

Instead of theordinaryair valve E I may i 25 ot course' employ inconnectionwith section ,lzan airvalve-havingjthe shut-eff feature of]valve F, butthis is not essential where only one ofthe intermediatesections of the radiator is provided with an air valve, W1th h valve F'adjus ed-so hatIitoper tes as a an ordinary thermostatic air valve, theentireradiator will beactive. That is to say, 7

V the incomingsteam, {when the steam is turned on, will force all of theair in the radiator out through-the valves E and E, which will "beclosed as soon assteam comes into contact with-their thermostatic valvemembers. By putting the 'valveFout of operation, that is,by turning thecap 24 of the device so that air oannotescape from the, radiator ceptthe one nearest the inlet pipe, would have to beprovided with theshut-off feature of air valve F. ,7 7

It. is an important, if not essential, feature of my inventiontoregulate steampressure in hhesystem so that the-pressure in the radiatorwill be relatively low If the pressure. is say, from three to six poundsper 0 squareiinch, which is --customary in house 7 heating systems,except those of the vapor type, the body of air in the radiator will bep compressed or the air- -m'ixed with the steam to such anextent thatthe intended regulaseries may be frustrated or practically so.

static air vallve immediately attached to; a,

a thermostatic air valve innnediatelyatdampers 29, 30, are connected bya cord 31 extending over pulleys 32 attached to a lever 33 pivoted at 34and connected at 35 to; a

, pressure operated device 36 which is in communication with the steamchamber of the generator B, the lever being divided by the 2 Weight 37which may be adjusted to vary the steam pressure at which the apparatuswill I be operated to slowdown the'fire by closing dampers 29, 30. Anysuitablemeans may of. course be employed for maintaining the" pressureinthe system at the proper point. 7 While I have described my. inventionin certain preferred embodiments, it will be understood thatmodifications might be made 7 without departure from the principles of rthe invention. Therefore I do not wish to be understood as limiting "theinvention to the precise construction shownordescribed, except so far asthe claimshereto appended may be specifically so limited,

I claim: 7 p 7 1 1. A radiator for a one-pipe pressure steam heatingsystem havingtheusual supply and return pipe, saidradiator compris, ingupright radiator sections communicating with Qach other at thebottorn,with one end section of which said supply and return pipe is connected,in combination with a thermosection at the opposite end of the radiatorfrom the supply and return pipe adapted to V discharge airfrom the,radiator to the atmosphere and to be automatically closed by thepresence of steam in said section, and

tached to intermediate radiator section adapted to discharge air fromthe radiator to the atmosphere and to. be closed automatically by thepresence of steam in said. v section said first named, air valve adaptedtobe manipulated toprevent theoutflowof air from the radiator at thispoint whereby all or part of the radiator may be made active. V V

2. A radiator fora one-pipe pressure steam heating system having theusualsup ply and return pipe, said radiator compris ing upright radiatorsections communicating with each other at the bottom, with one endsection of which said supply and steam return pipe is connected, incombination with a thermostatic air valve immediately attached to asection at the oppositeend of the radiator from the supplyand returnpipe adapted to discharge air from the radiator 'ios to the atmosphereand to be automatically closed by the presence of steam in said section,one of the intermediate radiator sections being formed with a recess,and a thermostatic air valve arranged in said recess attachedimmediately to the radiator section adapted to discharge air from theradiator to the atmosphere and to be closed automatically by thepresence of steam in said section; said first named air valve 10 FRANKJ. DOUGLASS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

